Water closet construction



Sept. 30, 1941. w. E. sLoAN WATER CLOSET CONSTRUCTION 2 Sheets-Sheet l Filed Feb. 23, 1937 s n) w ii ii v INVENTOR /1/ ATTORNEYS- Sept 30, 1941 w. E. sLoAN 2,257,135

WATER CLOSET CONS TRUCTION Filed Feb. 23, 1937 2 Sheevts-Sheet 2 BY //DLL/f/M [5526/9 l ATTORN EYS Patented Sept. 30, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE WATER CLOSET CONSTRUCTION William E. Sloan, River Forest, Ilr

Application February 23, 1937, Serial No. 127,097

13 Claims.

The present invention relates to Water-closet constructions and it has for its object to provide a new and improved construction including a water closet, a valve for flushing the Water closet, and a housing to conceal the-flush valve.

A desirable feature of an arrangement of the type disclosed is that the'ush valve andcertain associated parts may be made with an unfinished and unplated exterior, and that no particular attention need be paid to the production of devices with pleasing contours, notwithstanding which a flush valve housed and concealed by a housing of pleasing design and color ordinarily presents a more desirable appearance than an exposed flush valve and associated connections of the most attractive design and finish.

The construction herein disclosed contemplates a closet bowl mounted adjacent a wall in the usual manner and supplied with flushing water through a flush valve mounted outside the face of the wall and close above the bowl, the flush valve and associated connections being concealed by the housing above referred to. By this arrangement, substantially all of the -advantages arising from fully concealed flush valve installations (wherein the flush valve is located behind the finished wall, in an accessible corridor for example) are secured, and at the same time the installation may be effected readily and with economy.

Special features of the improved combination disclosed herein include the following:

The ush valve is arranged to be mounted directly onand supported by the Wall independent of the inlet and discharge piping associated therewith, whereby the inlet connection, which ordinarily supports the flush valve somewhat rigidly, may be of a non-rigid type, preferably provided witha ball union connection at each f its two ends.

Since the flush valve is rigidly secured to the wall, the housing itself may be removably attached to the flush-,valve casing, suitable attaching devices being provided on the flush-valve casing and on the housing for holding the housing to the flush valve and against the Wall without any direct attachment between the housing and the wall. This arrangement greatly facilitates the installation, as will be at once appreciated.

A further feature of the arrangement has to V.do with the method of actuating the flush valve through an opening in the wall of the housing. This actuation is preferably accomplished by means of a push button mounted in an opening in the front of the housing and registering with a plunger actuating member of the iiush valve. This actuating push button is preferably so located and constructed that it can be conveniently actuated through the medium of the usual hinged seat cover, it being desirable that the user may bring about an actuation of the ilu'sh valve by intentionally leaning back against the raised seat cover.

According to a further feature of the arrangement, the flush valve is arranged to be so mounted with respect to .the spud opening in the toilet bowl and with respect to the designated position ofthe supply opening in the wall, and such iiexible connection facilities are provided, that the Workman who performs What is knownas the roughing-in operation has a substantial latitude in locating the supply opening in the wall and in locating the waste opening in the floor with which the bowl is to register when subsequently installed.

In order to allow the roughing-in Workman a choice in installing the supply opening in the wall to the right or to the left of the waste opening in the floor, the ush valve is provided with two inlet openings and with a cap for closing the one not used. This feature is peculiarly adapted for an installation wherein the flush valve is concealed, as the provision of an unused capped opening for ran exposed 4flush valve would doubtless meet with objection onA account of the appearance. t

Additional features of the arrangement include the securing of the push button in the housing so that it is free for reciprocal movement, but remains with the housing when the housing is removed, and the utilization of a common bracket which retains the push button in place and which serves to secure the housing removably in position.

Other objects and features of the invention will become apparent upon a further perusal of the specification. Referring now to the accompanying drawings, comprising Figures l to 6, they show sufficient ofthe details of "a combination constructed according to the features of the invention to enable the inventionto be understood.

Figure l is a half-scale sectional view of the installed combination as seen along the line l-I of Figure 2;

Figure 2 is a half-scalev sectional view along the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure, 3 isk a small-scale side elevation of the complete combination; Figure 4 is a full-scale fragmentary rear view of the housing, showing the constructionof the bracket for-removably securing the housing to the flush lvalve casing and forV holding the push button in place;

Figure 5 is a bottom View of. what is shown in Figure 4; and Y Figure 6 is a full-scale top View, partly in section, of the flush valve.

Referring no w particularly t0 Figures 1, 2, and 3, the components of the illustrated combination 3 Y inlet opening shown capped by the cap 25.

Vslip-joint manner.

`the mainV` body of the cover in Figure 1.

are the throttle valve A (which is threaded onto the supply nipple 9|, Figures 1 and 3), the supply connection B (consisting of ltelescoping tubes I I and I2, seen best in Figure 2) the ilush valve C, the discharge tube D, andthe toilet bowl E. with seat and seat cover'.

The iiush valve C has a casing 2I as seen best in Figures 1 and 2, which casing has a supply opening to the right into which the Vinlet tubel II of the telescoping tubes B is' 'fastened by means of the ball union, together" with a leftV Aagainst the wall. VThe angular direction of the mounting slots in the bracket 22 enables the/l location of screw holes to be shifted, for example, either to avoid or intercept tile joints, either vertical or horizontal. This enables the installer to make a screw hole through a joint or through v the bodyA of the tile, as he may find to suit his purpose best.

The fiush valve isprovided with a piston 26 which has a cup leather 21 for defining an upper chamber. The casing is provided with a seat gasket 28 against which the metal seat' of the piston 26 is normally forced by line pressure.v A small vby-pass opening 32- is provided in the wall of the hollow cylinder 2'6 to admit line pressure Vto the interior of the cylinder and through the top opening of the interior thereof to the '4 upper chamber defined by the cup leather 2l.` Itis this line pressure which maintains the valve normally seated.

A relief chamber 34 .is provided in the cover 33 in communication with the upper chamber of,r

the valve through a vertical hole shownthrough This relief chamber is closed normally against the outflow of water by the relief valve 35, whose l. enlarged end .bears against the valve seat 44.

which seat is supported in turn by the metal washer 45. The Washer 45 is held in place by the insert member 3T, which is threaded into the relief-discharge chamber 3-8. The stem of the relief valve 35 is suitably packed in the insert member 31 as shown clearly in Figure 6. The part of the stem of the relief valve 35 near the seat thereof is of somewhat reduced cross section in order to allow water to escape from the upper chamber of the flush valve when the relief valve is pushed in and thereby unseated. The vertical slot in the inner end of insert member 3'I, shown in Figure 1, permits the water escaping past the opened relief valve to iiow into the relief-discharge chamber 38 and out through the relief-discharge channel 3'9 in the body cast-- ing, a relief-discharge hole being provided in the cover for thisV purpose. The chamber 39 communicates at its lower end with the discharge portion of the valve casing, below the seat 28.

The relief valve 35 is normally maintained seated by the coiled spring shown most clearly in Figure 6', and by water pressure. Y Y

When the 'relief valve 35 is actuated, the pressure in the chamber abovevthe cup leather 2."v

is relieved, whereupon water flows out of the upper chamber and through the relief valve to the outlet, by way of channel 39. The relief oi this pressure permits the piston 26 to be raised by the pressure of the water in the lower chamber, below the cup leather 2l. When the piston is raised, Water discharges through the outlet Aport of the flush valve and through the discharge tube D to the toilet bowl E, the discharge rate being suitably controlled, when necessary,

,byv the throttle vvalve A.

As soon as the relief valve 35 is permitted tol beY reseated by the action of its restoring spring and by water pressure, no further water escapes from the upper chamber.A Then the inflow of water through the by-pass opening 32 to the upper chamber, by way of the' hollow interior of the piston 26, results in a Slow replenishing of the water in the upper chamber, theV piston being'slowl'y forced down to seat the valve thereof upon the seat gasket 28', thisv slow reseating being a common action in iiush valves.

Y For the purpose of regulating the duration of aflushing operation, the regulating screw29 is provided. vThis screw maybe turned Ydown any f desired amount to limit the upward travel of the pist'onby engaging the cross bar 3 I, seen incross section in Figure 1. The regulating screw 29 is suitably packed. The safety screw 32 is provided to prevent any Voutflow which may by-pass the packing around regulating screw 29 from reaching the exterior of the valve.

Referring to the telescoping inlet connection B, Yseen partly in section in Figure 2, this inlet connection is composed of the telescoping tubes II and I2, together with the ball-union members I'3 and I6. The tube I2 is preferably made from tubing of the same diameter as the tube I I in order that the ball-union member I3 be of the same size as the ball-union member. I6. As indicated, the tube I2 is expanded sufficiently throughout the greater part of its length that it may freely receive the tube II in telescopingre- 'lationship in order that the over-all length of the inlet connection B may be adjusted to accommodate different roughing-in locations of the supply pipe 9I, Figures 1and 3.

In order that the flexibility of the combination herein disclosed be more readily appreci- Aated, the operations involved in installingthis combinationY will be enumerated. Assuming that the combination is to be installed in a building under construction, the roughing-inA workman, in installing the waste pipe 92, provides a waste opening in the floor at the desired location and at a distance from the wall location which will cause the waste opening to be atV approximately the desired distance from the face of the wall Y when the wall is finished. The Workman also installs a supply nipple such as the nipple 9|, Figures 1 and 3, in the wall at adesired distance to the right or to the left of the center line of the bowl location, as determined by the location of the waste opening in theV floor. The supply v`nipple is also positioned vertically so that it will be at approximately a desired vertical height above the face of the floor Ywhen it is subsequent- 1yA finished. The supply nipple is customarily capped to keep foreign objectsv and foreign matter from the supply line, and the waste opening in the floor is closed for a similar purpose.

Following the roughing-in operation, nothing more is done about installing the combination until the construction of the building has progressed sufciently that the finished floor is in place and the final wall-surfacing material has been applied. Keeping in mind that variations are certain to occur in the thickness vof any given finishing material applied to a floor, aswell as in the thickness of any finishing material applied to a wall, it will be seen that the center of the location of the waste opening in the iioor can have no exact relation to the final finished surface of the wall, even though the roughing-in workman is perfectly accurate in his measurements and in his execution of the installation of the waste pipe. Likewise, the distance between the center of the supply opening in the wall and the surface of the finished floor is also variable, veven though perfectly accurate work be assumed on the part of the roughing-in workman. In additionl to this, it often happens that the decision as to the specific finished material for wall and floor is changed after the roughing-in operation is performed, and the finish Ilines of oor and wall are therefore shifted accordingly. Itwill thus be seen that the installing workman must be ableato t the parts together in spite of the variations in dimensions which are bound to occur as above discussed. It is highly desirable that he be able to do this with a minimum of effort. This condition is provided for by the new and improved 4arrangement herein disclosed.

The installation workman may first fix the toilet bowl E in the position' dictated by the floor opening for the waste pipe 92, Figure 3. Preparatory to mounting the flush valve C on the wall by means of the screws 23 and 24, Figure 2 (on the center line of the bowl and at a fixed distance above the center line of the spud opening of the bowl), the workman positions the horizontal leg of the tube in the Spud-inlet opening of the bowl. This tube D is furnished with the horizontal leg thereof longer than is ordinarily required, in order to enable the connection between the flush valve and the inlet spud to the bowl to be made when the bowl is set further away from the wall surface than the preferred distance. Therefore, when the waste location is such that the bowl is any lesser than this maximum distance from the wall, the horizontal leg of the tube D is shortened by the installer (such as being cut off by a hack saw) to correspond with the actual distance encountered. The relation between the parts is such that the horizontal leg is of the correct length when so cut that it just reaches to the inlet spud when the vertical leg is held against the wall, the spud being provided with a slip-joint arrangement capable of receiving as much of the tube D as is then required to permit the tub-e to be broughtbodily away from the wall to line up the vertical leg with the flush valve when the latter is subsequently fastened to the wall.

The flush valve may be next positioned by placing the lower end thereof over the upper end of the tube D until the tube engages the outlet shoulder 50. The coupling nuts 43 and 66 may then be tightened to hold the flush valve in place while the workman makes holes for and insertsr the mounting screws 23 and 24 to hold the valve rigidly against the wall.

With the toilet bowl E and flush valvel C installed and connected together` through the discharge tube D as described, the installing workman may next remove the previously mentioned capped supply nipple, and replace it with a nipple 9| of correct length to which the throttle valve A is attached. In this connection, it may be pointed out that it is customary for the roughingin workman to install a longer supply nipple than will be required in the nished work, and that ordinarily the installing workman removes this longer nipple, together with its cap and 'substitutes a supply nipple of the proper length to bring the throttle valve A against the face of the wall. The throttle valve A is preferably installed with the outlet thereof turned up as shown in Figures 1 and 2.

Following the installation of the throttle valve A, the installing workman removes the union nuts I4 and I'I from the valves A and C, respectively, and places them in position on the tubes I I and I2. The workman need only slide them apart to place the nuts I4 and. I'I thereon. The tube II is then telescoped into the expanded portion Yof the tube I2, following which the union end of tube I2, having ball-union member I3, is inserted into the tapered outlet opening of the throttle valve A. The union end of the upper tube II is similarly placed in the tapered supply opening of the flush valve C, the two tubes being telescoped the required amount 'to permit the assembly to Yexactly reach from the outlet opening of the valve A to the inlet of the valve C. Since both unions involved are ball unions, the general direction in which the connection B extends may vary readily according to the relative locations of the two valves and according to the amount of telescoping necessary.

As soon as the connection B is brought into position, the coupling nuts I4 and I'I may be placed in position and drawn up tightly. The installing workman may now solder the tubes I I and I2 together as indicated vat I5, to make a Water tight connection between them. The tubes I I and I2 are preferably furnished in an easily soldered material, such as copper, or they may be even furnished tinned in order to facilitate the soldering operation by the installing plumber.

Following the interconnection ofthe supply pipe and the flush valveby way of the throttle valve A and the telescoping connection D, the installing workman may admit water to the building piping system and test the operation ofthe valve C, regulating the iiushing time by means of the flushing screw 29, and regulating the discharge rate by means of the throttle Valve A, these twoV regulations being made to suit the supply pressure and thecharacteristics of the toilet bowl. When these regulations have been effected, the installing workman may finally place the cover F in place, and adjust the t thereof, if necessary.

A s seen in Figures 4 and 5, the retaining bracket 'I4 is secured to the inside of the housing F at the base portions I5 and 16, preferaby by welding. The slot 'I'I is sufficiently wide to receive the screw 4I, but of insuflicient width to permit the head of the screw 4I to pass through the slot. In this way, the housingF is vheld against horizontal withdrawal as long as the screw is within any portion of the slot. The approach to the slot 'I'I is widened to assist in guiding the housing as it is being lowered into position. For a similar purpose, the head of the screw 4I is beveled on the side toward the main body of thescrew, as is illustrated in Figure 1.

The push button I2 is freely receivedY in the v bossed opening 'II in the housing, Figures 1 and 5. The flap 'I3 is made integral with the push button 12,v push button and flap being preferably molded of a rubber composition which gives suflicient rigidity to the push button to permit it to serve its purpose, but permits a suiiicient bending of the ap portion 'I3 that the reciprocating Y of the wall.

' shown.

l falling out during handling and shipping, Side- Vplay of theflap 13 is substantially prevented by the'wings 'ISIV and of the bracket, as seen best in Figures 4 and 5. Y

The housing is readily brought into position by placing it againstthe wall slightlyyabove the position'it is -to occupy and permitting it to slide down.l As it slides down,v the angular .approach to the slot 11icauses the slot to be guided over the screw 4l to center the housing, and the housing iskept upright in nal position by its contact with the flat top surface of the bowl E to the rear of the seat hinges.r The bottom part of the housing F is iiared out forwardly in order to pervmit the front of the housing to. overlap the top surface of the bowl E in the various positions of the bowl with respect to the finished surface The bowl E is shown installed very nearly at the minimum distance from the nished surface of the wall. When the bowl is installed at greater distances from the wall, `the front of the housing F- overlaps a correspondingly smaller portion of the top face of the rear of bowl E. Y

The flush 'valve C is preferably furnished with the screw 4I turned in about as far as is required in the average installation, and locked in position by means of the lock nut 42. When the installing workman iinds that the wall surface is uneven and that-the flush valve C is somewhat forward of the normally intended position, he can correct for this by turning in the screw 4i the requiredV amount and locking it in its newposition. On the other hand, if the flush valve C is installed in a slight depression in the wall, the installing workman may bring the screw 4| out a compensating distance and then lock it in its newv position. VHenceforth, the person using or having charge of the combination mayfreplace the housing F readily and withoutcany screw manipulation, afterythe housing has been lifted 01T, for inspection purposes for example.

Since the back of the push button 12, as presentedto the relief button 36 of the relief valve 35, is of substantial size, and moreover since Ythe relief `button 36 itself is of substantial size, slight vertical or horizontal misplacement of the iiush valveY C with respect to the preferred position thereof in relation to the bowl E does not materially affect the operation. Effective Contact is made if the two push buttons are oi-centrevwith each other by a large fraction of an inch. Moreover, the illustrated method of holding the push button 12 in place, by means of the flap` 13, insures that no part of the push button projects in back of Ythe housing to catch on any part of the flush valve as the housing is being lowered in place in the event that the push button is partly actuated at` the time. VThere is, therefore, nothing to prevent the housing from sliding readily into position if placed on the wall an inch or two above the position it will occupy when allowed to settle in place and rest ontop of the bowl E as With further reference to the ylatitude allowed in the location of the supply nipple 91,if the location of this nipple varies in a` vertical direction, the tubes H and l2 are merely telescoped accordingly more or less,fas may be required- Horizontal variations along the wall surface of the location of the supply nipple result merely in the connection B being placed at a corresponding. angle to its illustrated position; the ball unions i3 and I6 allow a substantial angular variation. In case the supply is located so close to the centre line of the flush valve C that the limit of ball union i6 is approached, the throttle valve A may be rotated so as to bringr the outlet thereof away from the centre .to decrease the angle at the upper ball joint. Y The ball joints also allow variations in the distance between the throttle-valve outlet and the wall, permittingVv some latitude in the length of supply nipple.

Since the flush valve C is furnished withv a right opening and a leftl opening, the 'supp-ly vconnection B may be used from either side,` the as well as by leaning back against the upturned f seat cover. Y

It is to be noted that the bracket 14 is made relatively very wide, as seen inFigures-land 5. By this arrangement, the. centre of Ithe bracket springs inwardly somewhat readily as the `housing is being slid Vdown into positiony when the beveled head of the stud 4|., Figure 1, is entering the slot 11. This springiness enables the stud 4| to be adjusted sothat the housing is held in position snug up against the'wall by a substantial spring pressure.

The housing may be press-formed from sheet metal and covered with an enamel or other coating of lasting nish which matches that of fixtures, such as toilet bowls, wash basins, bathtubs, and the like. It is moreover important that Y Y 1. In combination, a flush valve for flushing a water closet having the usual hinged seat and hinged cover therefor, and a hoodlike cover or housing for the top, front, and sides of the flush valve, an actuating device for said flush valve located at the front thereof, and effective toactuate the ush valve when the actuating device receives a thrust, said housing having an opening inthe front thereof opposite the control device, and an actuation-control device mounted in said opening for reciprocal movement to enable the flush valve to be actuated when said control device'is pushed from the outside of the housing to impart a thrust to said actuating device, said actuation-,control device beingi responsiveV to a backward actuation of the hinged seat cover of the water closet to actuate the flush valve to flush the water closet. Y

2. In combination, aush valve for iiushing a water closet having the usual hinged seat and hinged Vcover therefor, and a hoodlikecover or housing for the top, front,V and sides of -the ush valve, an actuating device for said flush valve located at the front thereof, said housing having an opening in the front thereof opposite the control device, and an actuation-control device mounted in said opening for movement therein to cause said actuating device to initiate an operation of said flush valve by a movement transmitted through said opening, said actuation-com trol device being responsive to a backward actuation of the hinged seat cover of .the water closet to actuate the flush valve to flush the water closet.

3. In combination, a iiush valve adapted to be mounted adjacent a wall behind a fixture to be flushed, a housing formed to rest against the Wall and conceal the top, front, and adjacent sides of the flush valve, fastening means secured to the ush valve, and cooperating fastening means secured to the inside of the housing to enable the housing to be slid down along the wall into position to conceal the flush valve and to be removably held in position against the wall through the cooperation of the fastening means on the flush valve and the fastening means on the inside of the housing,

4. In combination, a flush valve adapted to be mounted adjacent a wall behind a fixture to be flushed, a housing formed to rest against the wall and conceal the top, iront and adjacent sides of the flush valve, means for securing the flush valve to the adjacent wall, fastening means secured t-o the ilush valve, and cooperating fastening means secured to the housing to enable the housing to be slid down the wall over said ush valve and into position in contact with said fixture, and to be resiliently and tightly held in position against the wall through the cooperation of the fastening means on the flush valve and the fastening means on the housing.

5. In combination, a iiush valve adapted to be mounted adjacent a wall behind a iixture to be flushed, a housing formed to conceal the top, front, and adjacent sides of the iiush valve, means for fastening the flush valve directly to the adjacent wall, and means for fastening the housing directly tothe flush valve and thereby indirectly to the said adjacent wall, said fastening means being brought into play when the housing is slid along said wall into position to cover `the fiush valve and to contact the top face of the said fixture, said fastening means also drawing said housing yieldingly but snugly against the wall as the said housing is slid into position.

6. In combination, a flush valve adapted to be mounted adjacent a wall behind a Xture to be hushed, a housing formed to rest against the wall and conceal the tcp, front, and adjacent sides of the flush valve, and means for slidably fastening the housing directly to the iiush valve for ready removal and replacement by a simple sliding movement.

7. In combination, a housing for concealing the top, front, and adjacent sides of a flush valve mounted adjacent a wall behind a Water closet bowl, a bracket secured to the inside of said cover about the Vertical center line of the iront thereof, said cover having an opening therein for an actuating push button, a push button mounted in said opening and having a downwardly extending retaining flap, means forming part of said bracket for holding the flap of said push button in place, and other means also forming a part of said bracket for enabling the housing to be removably attached to said flush valve.

8. In combination, a flush valve mounted on a Wall, a cover formed with an open back to iit against the wall over the ush valve to conceal the top, front, and adjacent sides of the iiush valve, fastening means for securing said housing directly to said flush valve to hold the housing snugly against the wall, said fastening means being so arranged that the housing may be slid vertically into position from above, and adjustable means incorporated in the fastening means ior adjusting the fastening means sufciently to compensate for encountered irregularities in wall surface.

9. In combination, a flush valve capable of being mounted adjacent a wall, and a housing for the flush valve formed to lie against the Wall and conceal the top, front, and sides of the flush valve, fastening means including a part secured to the flush valve and a cooperating part secured to the housing, one of said parts having the construction of a stud with a head thereon, and the other of said parts having the construction oi a member with a vertical slot therein to enable the cooperating parts to be brought together in fastening relationship when the housing is placed against the wall above the position it is to occupy and is allowed to slide down into place.

ii). In combination, a flush valve actuatable responsive to a thrust imparted to a plunger extending into the iiush valve from the front and lying in a generally horizontal position, said nush valve being adapted to be mounted above and to the rear of a closet bowl having a seat cover capable of being raised and turned back, and adapted to be connected with said bowl to flush it responsive to an actuation of said piunger, plunger being adapted to be actuated by the turned back seat cover of the closet bowl when the seat cover is at an angle from the vertical plane, and means for holding said actuating plunger in such a position that it makes an angle with the horizontal piane tending to compensate for the angle which the seat cover makes with the vertical plane, whereby the movement of the plunger when thrust by the seat cover is more neariy at right angles to the direction of extension of the seat cover when the thrust is being imparted.

ii. In combination, a flush valve adapted to be mounted adjacent a wall, a hood-like housing formed to be held against the wall and to conceal the top, iront, and adjacent sides of the iiush valve, and means for yieldingly clamping the housing between the Wall and a part supported by the flush valve.

i2. In combination, a ilush valve adapted to be mounted adjacent a wall at a fixture to be iiushed, a hood-like housing formed to be disposed against 'the wall and to conceal the top, front, and adjacent sides of the ilush valve, and means for holding the housing in position, including a clamp located Within the housing adjacent the front wall thereof and disposed across the vertical centre line of the front face of the housing.

13. In combination, a iiush valve, a readily removable housing for concealing the flush valve,

actuating device 'projecting through the housing for actuating the flush valve, and a flexible fiap member inside the housing secured at one end to the actuating device and secured at the other end to the housing, whereby the actuating device is held in assembled relation with the housing when the housing is removed from the flush valve.

WILLIAM E. SLOAN. 

